Antiques summer sale in full bloom as experts hunt for new treasures which could earn more than you think

The summer auction was filled with all the usual wonders but also boasted a very timely garden and architectural section for green-fingered enthusiasts.

A favourite piece in the ceramic and glass section was a beautifully designed Roman glass – and amazing to think it had survived over a thousand years to make £1000 at auction.

Ceramics which stood out were three interesting London delft drug jars which made between £1200 and £1250 each, at great prices which were well deserved for three highly collectable items.

Every one of the 70 lots offered in the stunning silver section triumphantly sold on the day, with over half making above their top estimate!

Highlights included a three-piece Victorian tea service by Charles Stuart Harris that made £1600, a George VI silver tray that made £1650, and art deco inspired four-piece tea service that made £1700. But the best was an Edward VII oak canteen filled with a stunning table service that fetched £5400 and a decadent pair of Victorian candelabra raised on clawed feet and festooned by hanging chains that reached £6200.

Reaching the sun, moon and stars

The jewellery section started with a remarkable pocket watch collection, brimming with beautiful pair cased examples and stunningly decorated movements hidden like treasures inside simple silver surrounds. The best was an astrological pair cased watch from 1810, whose face was brilliantly etched with the sun, moon and stars, that made £1350.

Hosting everything from sparkling modern rings to high-quality golden Victorian brooches, the best prices reached £3800 for a very classy sapphire and diamond cocktail brooch and £4200 for a stunning emerald and diamond cluster ring.

Before delving into the paintings, their July 17th offering ranged from Arts & Crafts design to ancient ecclesiastic carved icons. A large African collection, including Benin bronzes and classic carved masks, came with a pairing of Mende helmet masks from Sierra Leone that trotted up to a very respectable £1050.

Journey to Alice in Wonderland

The most interesting two lots within the section, and possibly even the whole sale, were an extremely rare Jacob’s biscuit tin decorated with an Alice in Wonderland motif. Only 100 of these were ever made (and of course most would have been lost or destroyed since its late Victorian production) and on the day reached an incredible £2900.

The other amazing result was a small pocket set of Chinese seals that reached a whopping £2600. This lot was entered into the auction by the Gambian Schools Trust and being a charity, were not charged any commission. The wonderful result will be enough to build half a library, they have been told!

Starting the painting section with oils, £1800 was seen for a stunning classical stable scene with horses and setters by John Alfred Wheeler. A wonderful Scottish Bertram Priestman painting with cascading hills meeting bothies at their base, to reflect across the loch below, went above estimate to make £1550.

Within the print section, dominated with contemporary photographic art, the best prices came from two consecutive Fortunino Matania seaside railway posters, with one of Morecambe and Heysham making £1550 and one of Blackpool that adorned the catalogue cover making £2700.

The best lots in the watercolour and pastel section were a poignant pastel of a First World War soldier by Hilda Rix Nicholas that made £1850, and breathtaking view down the Wye Valley layered in complexity of perspective that made £2600.

Lastly, of the Yorkshire artists the three names which stood out were James Smethan, with two sketches of plays including Romeo & Juliet that made £1150 and £2600 respectively, a classic Wharfedale snow scene of Nesfield by Herbert Royle that reached £1850, and two oils by Northern powerhouse Peter Brook that both made £3600.

Sun shining for the garden section

With the sun now shining, after what felt like weeks of rain, the garden section felt well timed and amazingly sold with 95% success. Two items stood out, with £950 for a Regency strap work bench with very intriguing rear supports and a slightly surprising £1250 for a “possibly antique” sandstone carving of an Egyptian boy.

Railway timepiece chimed

In the final straight of clocks and furniture, the best clock was an interesting station timepiece from the London, Midland and Scotland railway that chimed in at £1650.

Amid more traditional lots, a smart Georgian serpentine chest of drawers gained £1050, while in the retro lots a cool tulip dining suite by Eero Saarinen rocketed past the estimate with the phonelines booked up to make £2800. B

However, the best of the furniture section surprisingly came from a Regency mahogany linen press, which made over 13 times the top estimate at £4800.

The fine sale is always the crescendo of the previous quarter, so although a long busy day, a successful sale such as this always leaves a huge feeling of achievement. Brilliantly, the sale’s accumulative total landed right within their overall sale estimate, showing their valuers to be worth their salt.

Get your items in for the autumn sale

It’s time to hunt out your treasures to be valued for Hartleys Auction September sale. They are now collecting for their Autumn Antiques & Interiors Auction, with a final date for entries on August 3.

Whether you have military memorabilia, old coins, jewellery and painting in your loft or want to part with your classic furniture for a home makeover, now is the time to get it valued. It’s also the perfect excuse for a summer clear-out of your sheds and drawers!

The family-firm’s brother and sister Charlie Hartley and Emma Padgett are there to help value items and give trusted advice.

Nothing is too old, or too new for their valuers to have a look at – and one man’s junk could be another’s pride and joy!

Contact Hartleys

Check out their website for more details here

Save the dates and see the calendar of auctions here

Contact them for a valuation or to make an enquiry here

Find Hartleys at Victoria Hall, Little Lane, Ilkley LS29 8EA.